Charles ‘Charlie’ Edward Rooney was born in Santa Monica, California, to Dr. John Rooney and Eleanor Dabney Rooney. He died of a heart attack.

After graduating from University High School and a year at Santa Monica College; Charles joined the Armed Forces and served two years of active duty with the United States Navy, serving on the destroyer USS Mahan III (DLG-11). The USS Mahan, a Farragut-class guided missile frigate, was notorious for being fired on in the Gulf of Tonkin which started the Vietnam War. He remembered vividly his trip up the Mekong River and the ominous threat of the possibility of the beginnings of war. After completing his contract with the armed forces, Charles was released from active duty by the Pacific Command (PACOM), where he began college at San Jose State from which he graduated with a degree in Sociology. He worked as a social worker until he enrolled in graduate school at San Diego State University.

Charles moved to Oregon in 1990, working as a caseworker for Multnomah County Children’s Services. While employed there, Charles continued his education by studying graphic arts. Charles eventually left his caseworker position to start his own business venture as a landscape maintenance gardener. Charles then began a career as a professional driver for TriMet, where he worked until his retirement in 2000. He was an active member in good standing of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 (ATU 757).

For 33 years, Charles produced and presented his radio program “World Beat Connections“ on KBOO, 90.7 FM. The show represented his lifelong interest in the musical diaspora from a fusion of Caribbean and African-American communities. He frequently substituted on other programs that included various forms of music such as jazz and blues music. In addition, he spent countless hours over the span of 20 years volunteering at the Oregon Humane Society expressing his love for cats by working with them exclusively.

Charlie was the life companion and husband of Jimmie Byrd Rooney for 45 years. He was the love of her life and she greatly enjoyed his vitality, humility, compassion, gentleness, loyalty and varied interests that made him the humanist that he was: a man for all seasons. Reading, yoga, hand drumming, whitewater rafting, chess, poker, cats, and progressive politics were a few of his major interests that made life such an adventure for all those around him.

Charles is survived by his wife, Jimmie Rooney; and his sisters Camille Gardner, Victoria Wells, and Robin Rooney. Charles was a wonderful and caring stepfather to Daryn and his wife Susan Fogle and his grandchildren Jarrod, Jeremy, and Jordan Fogle, and Tucker and Sierra Brooks. He is also survived by his stepdaughter, Deborah Mathot; and his many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and great-grandchildren. 

We all miss his presence and are diminished by his death. Charlie’s wisdom and love of learning is deeply missed, but we are heartened by the knowledge that his cosmic consciousness will eternally flow around us.